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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

get one's fingers burnt en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic) To suffer relatively minor, adversive, and unexpected harm.
    • He developed a special interest in coconut cultivation after witnessing the success of some farmers who made huge money only to get his fingers burnt. 2015 August 25, “Anwar Raja, the farmer, got his fingers burnt”, in The Hindu, retrieved 20 Nov 2018:
    • He got his fingers burnt in that stock market scam, but at least he didn't lose his house.
    • Artur Fischer, for example, is the head of the Berlin stock-exchange who got his fingers burnt in China. 2011 February 8, Stephen Evans, “German firms fear China technology theft”, in BBC news, retrieved 20 Nov 2018:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
got one's fingers burnt Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part UK lexicographic
got one's fingers burnt Tense=Past lexicographic
gotten one's fingers burnt Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part US lexicographic
gets one's fingers burnt Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
getting one's fingers burnt Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic